Chicago Muslims buck North American scholars, delay Ramadan a day

New moon wasn't sighted in U.S., so holy month will start Wednesday, not Tuesday, as national group declared

July 09, 2013|By Manya Brachear Pashman, Chicago Tribune reporter

(MARKO DJURICA, REUTERS)

Still searching for a sliver of moon in the U.S. that signals the start of their holiest month, most of the Chicago area's 400,000 Muslims will begin their sacred fast Wednesday instead of Tuesday — when North American Muslim authorities declared the start of Ramadan.

The break from the nationally accepted standard fuels a longstanding feud among Muslims around the world that scholars have been trying to resolve for decades. Even though authorities have ruled that astronomical calculations are enough to determine the monthlong fast of Ramadan can begin, many Muslims insist it cannot until a physical sighting of the new moon, a sacred ritual initiated by Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

"It's fulfilling the prophetic tradition," said Sayeed Shariff, webmaster for the Chicago Hilal Committee who stayed up late Tuesday to help Chicago Muslims know whether to wake up early and fast or to wait

The decision by the Chicago Hilal Committee and other Muslim leaders goes against a ruling by the Fiqh Council of North America, a panel of scholars who interpret Islamic law for American and Canadian Muslims. In 2006, that panel assured Muslims that a physical sighting of the new moon was no longer necessary to commence the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar.

During Ramadan, Muslims are commanded to fast from dawn to dusk as a show of self-discipline, gratitude and piety. The fast prohibits eating and drinking during daylight hours. It also forbids smoking, sex, profanity and anger.

Ramadan also requires a regimen of worship. Muslims who fall short of praying five times a day year-round make a special effort to do so during the holy month. In addition they read the Quran, the holy book that Muslims believe was revealed to Muhammad during Ramadan 1,400 years ago. Muslims also give alms to earn forgiveness and rewards from God.

Since its birth in the 7th century, Islam has operated on a lunar calendar, meaning that each month starts with the appearance of a new moon. While the Fiqh Council insists astronomical calculations are sufficient, others believe it must be seen with the naked eye. They even disagree on whether it should be spotted in North America or in Saudi Arabia.

Three suburban Chicago mosques have decided to stick with the Fiqh Council's ruling: Islamic Cultural Center in Northbrook, Muslim Educational Cultural Center of America in Willowbrook and the Islamic Foundation North in Libertyville.

"If we follow the authorities … who are investing their time and scholarship on this issue, then we shouldn't really try to do their work or try to reinvent the wheel," said Dr. Zaher Sahloul, who worships in Willowbrook and began fasting Tuesday. "I don't think we should waste our time on this issue so the more important time is spent purifying ourselves for the month mentally and spiritually. That's the purpose of the fasting."

Karen Danielson, a member of the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, said her mosque looks for guidance from the Middle East where a majority of the world's Muslims begin fasting before the U.S. The southwest suburban mosque also prefers to hear about a confirmed local moon sighting, she said, but relies on calculations in cases of zero visibility.

"What's Ramadan without the confusion?" she joked. But the lack of consistency can lead to awkward conversations. Wearing a headscarf while eating a hot dog for lunch Tuesday, Danielson was reproached by a woman who worships at the Islamic Cultural Center in Northbrook and already had begun her fast.

"Nobody can say they're wrong for fasting today," Danielson said. "What is the overall spirit of Islam? The overall spirit is unity. That's a principle in Islam is to stay unified."